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Executive Summary
Most of the children are newcomers to the United States; they have come from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. They still speak Spanish, though after a year in Head Start, most of them are now fluent in English as well. . They climb up to the stage, where a large American flag covers the entire back wall. The children sing a traditional Hispanic song of leave-taking, "Adios, St. Peter." Then, with faces full of hope, they conclude with "The World is a Rainbow." -Quoted from Zigler and Muenchow, 1992, p. 245.
At first [our program] just had two languages, English and Spanish. Because of the makeup of the community they had a large Spanish-speaking population. [We] first started noticing a change in the population about 10 years ago. Then we saw that there were more and more Vietnamese. At first we couldn't communicate with the Vietnamese [families] and we didn't have the staff to take care of these children.
Then about 4 years ago we saw that we had a population of Cambodian families that we were not serving at all. [We] tried to find staff who spoke their language. We found that the Cambodians tend to stick to one area [of the community] and that the program had thus to put the services in the area where their families were living.
In the program we also had to change the food served, to be culturally sensitive. We were meeting the needs of those with a Spanish diet but not the Vietnamese, at first.
-Interview conducted with a Head Start Health and Nutrition Coordinator, April 1995
Since its inception in 1965 as a summer program launched during President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty," Head Start has helped more than 16 million children and their families. Head Start was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children with a program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. The idea was that, with a little help -- a head start -- children from even the most disadvantaged families could begin elementary school at the same level as their more advantaged peers. In 1998, Head Start served more than 800,000 children in over 48,000 classrooms across the United States. Head Start is also a recognized leader in providing services to children of migrant workers, and American Indian families.
In the last three decades, the United States population has undergone some dramatic demographic changes yielding a far more culturally diverse population. These changing national demographics mean that Head Start must learn how to access new populations, encourage their participation and tailor programs to meet their unique needs.
Purpose and Objectives
The current study was commissioned by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) in 1993, in order to better understand the diversity in language and culture of the Head Start population and to identify the range of services provided to this population. The objectives of this study were:
- To describe the Head Start population, including the cultural and linguistic groups served and their distribution.
- To describe what services programs have developed (i.e., classroom curricula, parent involvement components, staff training, etc.) to address the unique service needs of children and families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
- To describe barriers faced by Head Start programs as they address the needs of an increasingly diverse population.
Methods
Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to meet the objectives of this study. Three primary data sources were used:
- a from Head Start Program Information Report (PIR), an annual self-report survey of all Head Start programs.
- Surveys were sent to Head Start programs in 1993; the sample included approximately 2,000 (1,413 returned) Head Start programs nationwide.
- Site visits were made to 30 programs, including 58 classrooms in 1995. The sample of 30 programs was selected based on an analysis of the survey data and consultations with Head Start staff and Regional Offices. Sites were selected on the basis of diversity of children and families; diversity of staff; innovative classroom materials and curricula; and staff training in multicultural awareness, sensitivity and procedures.
Major Findings
The major findings of the study are summarized below. First, the Head Start population is described, followed by a summary of multicultural practices adopted by Head Start programs to serve an increasingly diverse population.
The Head Start Population
- Over Two-Thirds of All Head Start Children Are Minorities
A majority of children enrolled in Head Start are members of a minority group; the largest minorities represented are Blacks and Hispanics.
| Census Category |
% of Head Start Population |
# Head Start Children |
|---|---|---|
| White |
33.0 |
235,945 |
| Black |
36.3 |
259,004 |
| Hispanic |
23.8 |
169,909 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native |
3.8 |
27,128 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander |
3.1 |
21,917 |
| Total minority |
67.0 |
477,958 |
| Total U.S. |
100 |
713,903 |
| Census Category | % of Head Start Population | # Head Start Children |
|---|---|---|
| White | 30.3 | 253,116 |
| Black | 35.2 | 294,048 |
| Hispanic | 28.0 | 233,902 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 3.4 | 28,402 |
| Asian | 2.1 | 17,543 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 1.0 | 8,354 |
| Total minority | 69.7 | 582,249 |
| Total U.S. | 100 | 835,365 |
The numbers of minority children increased between 1993 and 1999. The percent of minority children served rose from 67% to almost 70%, reflecting an increase of 104,291 children. The Hispanic population showed the most growth, increasing from 24% to 28%. Head Start served 233,902 Hispanic children in 1999, as opposed to 169,909 in 1993, an increase of 38%
- Head Start Children Speak Diverse Languages
The programs surveyed listed over 140 languages spoken by Head Start children. Spanish is the most common language spoken other than English.
| Language | % of Enrolled Children | # of Enrolled Children |
|---|---|---|
| English | 78.8 | 562,868 |
| Spanish | 17.5 | 125,186 |
| French | * | 214 |
| Haitian | 0.3 | 2,213 |
| Vietnamese | 0.4 | 2,713 |
| Hmong | 0.3 | 2,427 |
| Chinese | 0.4 | 2,499 |
| Cambodian | 0.2 | 1,142 |
| Korean | * | 286 |
| Japanese | * | 71 |
| Other | 2.0 | 14,284 |
| Language |
% of Enrolled Children |
# of Enrolled Children |
|---|---|---|
| English |
75.9 |
634,042 |
| Spanish |
20.4 |
170,414 |
| Asian |
1.5 |
12,530 |
| Native American |
0.3 |
2,506 |
| Other |
1.9 |
15,872 |
The diversity in home language spoken in the Head Start population is increasing. The percent of non-English speaking households rose from approximately 21% in 1993 to approximately 24% in 1999. The largest growth was Spanish speaking households, increasing from 17.5% to more than 20%. Head Start served 170,414 children from Spanish speaking households in 1999, as opposed to 125,186 in 1993, an increase of 36%.
Program Response to Diversity
- Recruitment Strategies Changing to Reach New Populations
Surveyed programs reported that they were modifying their outreach strategies in the following ways:
- Advertising (local and/or mass media) in the language of the community;
- Open houses;
- Going door-to-door to recruit families; and
- Contacting agencies, churches, and other groups/functions serving minority communities.
This study also found that social service staff had a unique opportunity to recruit families since they interfaced daily with the community. Programs with bilingual and multilingual social services staff helped parents fill out enrollment forms and, when possible, they distributed Spanish and Vietnamese versions of enrollment forms. Some programs that did not have bilingual staff or translated forms contracted with translators. In some cases, when translators for specific languages were difficult to find (e.g., Hmong or Creole), parents brought their own translator, typically another family member or friend.
- Head Start Staff Generally Reflect the Backgrounds and Languages of Enrolled Children
Survey data demonstrate that, nationwide, Head Start staff generally reflected the ethnicity of the children and families they served. Across the country, when there were more than 10 children of a particular ethnicity in a program, they were represented by a staff member of similar ethnic background. Survey data indicated that there were somewhat more white staff (44% of all staff) than white children (35% of all children). Blacks, Hispanics and Asian American/Pacific Islander staff were slightly underrepresented compared to children from these backgrounds.
Results of the survey indicate that staff spoke 93 of the approximately 140 languages spoken by Head Start children. There were about 14,000 children who attended programs in which there was no staff available who spoke their home language. Programs serving speakers of low prevalence languages, such as Quiche speakers from Guatemala or speakers of certain Chinese dialects, often had difficulty finding Head Start staff who spoke these languages.
- Multicultural Materials are Plentiful
Most classrooms observed had multicultural materials. Most sites offer materials in every learning center that include books, dolls, music, posters, and traditional dress-up clothes. National survey results confirm that most programs had books, dolls, and music representing different ethnic groups. Some less common items included audiovisual materials.
Survey respondents indicated that the African American culture was the most frequently represented in their materials, followed by Hispanic. Head Start educational staff found it a challenge to find developmentally appropriate books written in Vietnamese, Chinese, Hmong, and other Asian languages. In some cases, parents were asked to translate books or tape record stories in their home languages.
- Bilingual and Multicultural Activities
Classroom observations found that while multicultural materials were often available in the classrooms, teachers did not often use them in daily activities. Teachers indicated that even when they had materials, they did not always know what to do with them.
When activities were planned they included cooking and eating different foods, singing songs, dancing, watching presentations, and going on field trips.
- Parents Were Pleased with Multi-Cultural and Bilingual Services
Parents reported, in focus group interviews conducted during site visits, that they were pleased with program attempts to respond to the linguistic and cultural uniqueness of their children. They liked their children's teachers and the materials used in the classroom. Parents agreed that learning about cultures other than their own is good for their children. Most immigrant parents stated firmly that although they value their home language, they wanted their children to speak fluent English so that they will succeed in school.
- Importance of Parent Involvement
Head Start staff report that parents make substantial cultural contributions to their children's classroom. Parents were particularly helpful when they provided translation, offered assistance on how to integrate different cultures into the classroom, or shared foods, stories, dances, and songs. At times, parents were invited to explain the significance of cultural and family traditions to the children.
Program staff described parent involvement in programs as "very good". Parents who came to centers regularly developed a close rapport, not only with the staff and children, but with other parents too. Strategies to increase parent involvement at many sites included parent appreciation activities and production and circulation of newsletters and flyers, translated into several languages. Some sites even provided incentives such as childcare or transportation to encourage parents to attend parent committee and policy council meetings. Although many programs provided translators at meetings, the translators were not consistently available at every site or at every meeting. Staff emphasized the need for more planning, increased translation of materials, better communication with parents and staff, and consciousness-raising to teach staff and parents how to view different cultures with more openness.
- Parent Activities
Parent involvement staff encourage and support parents in their search for employment through life skills classes that focus on self-esteem building, goal setting, career options, self-marketing, job skills training, and time and money management. Additional parent activities include providing college opportunities, Child Development Associate (CDA) training, courses on parenting and multicultural awareness.
Several programs also offered English as a Second Language (ESL) and literacy training for parents. Staff in centers providing ESL reported these classes were the most important service offered to parents.
- Health Services Were Somewhat Constrained by Limited Bilingual Services in Communities
Head Start emphasizes the importance of early identification of health and developmental problems and provides health services either directly or through community referrals and partnerships. However, in interviews conducted with administrators and staff during site visits, some Head Start sites reported difficulties finding and coordinating with health service providers who spoke the families' home languages. This problem was particularly acute when the child needed specialized services for a suspected or diagnosed disability. Due to difficulties in getting translators to help families with health visits, Head Start program staff accompanied some families to health clinics to assist with translation. Health coordinators also complained about a lack of health education and information materials available in families' home languages.
Recent Changes in Head Start Policy
It is noteworthy to say that, since the conclusion of this descriptive study, with the revision of the Head Start Performance Standards that took effect in January 1998, the Head Start Bureau has moved forward to develop new standards to require grantees to better meet unique needs of children and families of bilingual and multicultural backgrounds. The Revised Performance Standards require the following: (a) that grantees be trained to better implement the Head Start Multicultural Principles; (b) that grantees actively improve their ability to coordinate with community healthcare providers who are able and willing to meet unique needs of bilingual and multicultural populations; (c) that grantees conduct health, developmental, and other screenings in families' preferred languages; (d) that grantees provide translators to assist non-English speaking parents during medical and dental provider visits.
The Performance Standards also require grantees to conduct community needs assessments to, among other things, describe demographic changes in local communities and explore their effects on enrollment of children and families in their programs. They also require the assessment of the effectiveness of local programs' bilingual and multicultural practices. The Performance Standards also require that programs develop new approaches to improving parent involvement with an increasingly diverse population of parents. These new program requirements are reviewed during periodic monitoring visits by the Head Start Bureau to ensure that quality program services are provided to children and families of bilingual and multicultural background.
Data gathered for the Celebrating Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Head Start has provided the Head Start Bureau with a wealth of information on services which local programs designed and provided children and families of bilingual and multicultural background. These innovative services were spontaneous responses of local programs to meet the urgent needs of bilingual and multicultural children and families as programs faced influxes of planned or unplanned numbers of these newcomers in their service areas. Classroom observations and interviews with program staff conducted during site visits revealed a wide spectrum of services provided and actions taken by local programs to meet parents' expectations of services. Focus group interviews with parents conducted during site visits confirmed that parents were generally satisfied with the services provided.
Suggestions
Head Start programs can and do impact community practices outside of their doors. Here are some efforts that, over time, will improve our ability to serve families from diverse cultural and linguistic heritages.
Within the Head Start community:
- Demographic changes in local communities should be monitored as well as their effects on recruitment and enrollment of children and families in Head Start programs. Efforts should be made to reach out to eligible non-English speaking families, who are often prevented from accessing Head Start services due to language barriers.
- Training and technical assistance on bilingual and multicultural programming is needed, including dissemination efforts to share information with both programs and parents on the current availability of bilingual and multicultural resources.
- The Head Start community must continue striving to understand cultural values of families served and to incorporate them meaningfully and respectfully into program practices.
Beyond the Head Start Community:
- Head Start should continue to encourage diversity in the fields of early childhood education, teacher training, and early childhood education research. Head Start already invests in the training of minority individuals through grants to Tribally Controlled Universities, Historically Black Colleges, and Hispanic Serving Institutions. Similarly, Head Start has increased the percentage of graduate student researchers receiving support for Head Start research.
- Head Start can aid in the efforts to promote census participation. This is essential in accessing federal and state resources for childcare, Head Start, education, public health services, as well as other community programs. Having an accurate profile of the community will also allow individual Head Start programs to monitor the success of their recruitment and enrollment practices.
- The fields of child development and early childhood education need resources to encourage the development of more empirically supported bilingual and multicultural approaches to curricula appropriate to preschoolers and to the language groups represented in Head Start programs. Research is needed to conceptualize, evaluate and broadly implement bilingual and multicultural practices that lead to improved child outcomes.
Final Word
The manner in which we support, respect and accept differences in our communities of young children will influence the ways in which they mature into the adult voices and the decision makers that shape our future communities and our nation.
A culturally and linguistically responsive approach to serving children and families honors family and individual uniqueness. While there are many values of the predominant culture, our challenge is to be sensitive to and respectful of all values. Incorporating family differences and multicultural principles into the resources and technologies we use to support children is not only a pragmatic challenge, it is for some a paradigmatic change. As the populations we serve become increasingly diverse, we must continue to engage in a powerful discourse about the issues of familial, cultural, ethnic and linguistic identity, and how Head Start communities support the hopes, dreams and successes of all children and families served.
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